By HOLLY GASKILL
During a candidate forum for the Bluffton-Harrison Metropolitan School District, some challenging candidates were outspoken in criticism of the current board and its members running for re-election.
There are two open seats for the BHMSD board this fall, both of which are contested races.
Peter Koiner, Julie Thompson and Robert Trexler are running for the at-large seat, Thompson being the current chair and board president. Bruce Holland and Jeff Kyle are running for the District 2 seat, with Holland up for re-election.
The Bluffton-Harrison Elementary School Parent-Teachers Association hosted the forum, which included questions from the PTA and the public. Erin Prible and Janelle Frauhiger acted as moderators with the candidates.
Each candidate was offered a chance to introduce themselves and their reasons for running, in addition to their involvement with the district, priorities as a school board candidate and the steps they would take as a board member.
Across these questions, the current school board faced criticism from some of the challenging candidates.
Koiner stated his main priorities were to work toward a curriculum that reflects the 1776 Commission, remove social-emotional learning ideologies from the classroom and increase options for personal development. He said the current board has not taken enough initiative beyond what the administration presents and neglects to prioritize these and other issues.
Trexler also criticized the current board, specifically in their handling of a personnel issue last fall, which he said was going directly against the desire of students and parents. Trexler said this instance, and being a father to a student in the district, was his primary motivator for running. He stated his priorities would be to increase integrity and communication with the community and advocate for students’ needs.
In his closing comments, Trexler continued to criticize the integrity of the current board and the two candidates running for re-election, exceeding his time until told to stop.
Thompson and Holland responded to these comments, saying it was much easier to hold judgment toward a specific situation when the details of it were confidential.
“I feel like our school board has taken attack tonight, and it is not as tainted as it has been described tonight,” Thompson said. “… As a board member, I am not told how to vote. Once again, I collect the facts presented to me, along with any actions taken, and determine my stance on the subject while maintaining confidentiality.”
“One needs to realize that investigations are totally done, and for one to attack the integrity of another person without really knowing what they’re talking about and knowing all the facts — I just needed to point that out,” Holland said.
Thompson has served on the school board for four years, three of which have been as board president. During the forum, she stated her priorities are the safety and development of the students and bringing in community stakeholders on that process. Thompson said her 35 years at Bluffton Regional Medical Center prepared her to understand the strategic planning of the role, and her children, three involved graduates of Bluffton, have given her a passion for BHMSD.
Holland is seeking his second term on the school board. Before serving as a board member, Holland was a school resource officer for the district and wanted to continue serving the schools in his retirement. Holland said his priorities as a school board member will be to continue to make decisions for the benefit of students, maintain district healthy finances, create long-term plans, maintain facilities, increase school safety and grow as a board member.
As a former jail commander, Kyle said his main objectives as a prospective board member would be to ensure security and act as part of checks and balances with school administration. Kyle said it was important to him to be involved in the community, and that having had children who graduated from BHMSD and grandchildren who will attend school here, he wanted to be a part of the progress in the school district. Kyle is also passionate about preparing students for many paths of work.
All candidates expressed a desire to increase community engagement, ensure safety and increase opportunities for students to learn in various formats.
Early voting begins Wednesday, Oct. 12. Voters may cast their ballot at the county clerk’s office from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every weekday.
holly@news-banner.com
